Each system has different flaws and people coming from different systems tend to focus on fixing the flaws of the system they're familiar with. Personally, having exparienced closed party lists with large constituencies (Spain) and first-past-the-post (US and UK) I think I have seen the worst of the two extremes. I personally would favour an additional member system with single transferable voting for local constituencies plus party lists for global proportionality. (see, for example, this comment)

Bush is a symptom, not the disease.

I would see the ideal size for an STV constituency as something like 5 to 7 seats. Large enough to be reasonably proportional but small enough for the concerned voter to have some chance to differentiate between the candidates.

The power and convenience of the voters is the important thing, not that of the politicians.